In Memoriam (for those in TV or FILM)

[AndrewCrossett]

I always thought the Frank Burns character was too over-the-top even for the comic nature of the show. Even I'm not cynical enough to believe such a silly and childish character could rise to the rank of major in the army, especially in that era. Or that a woman like Margaret Houlihan would have anything but contempt for him.

M*A*S*H had incredibly good luck with its cast replacements over the years. Bad replacements for Frank Burns, Henry Blake, Trapper or B.J. could have really hurt the show, but they stuck the landing every time.

[master of read]

one of my favorite eps with charles is when he helps hawkeye deal with his dad going in for a procedure and almost going insane with worry. charles wasn't close with him and had nothing to gain from helping him but he and hawkeye spend most of the ep talking to each other and their respective relationships with their fathers. and we see another side of charles as he envies hawkeye's closeness with his dad.

so many good eps that made charles a very good character in a cast of good characters.

[master of read]

plus, he was on one of my favorite animated series ever, "regular show"

luke skywalker working for major winchester.

[Deathstroke]

Such a shame to lose another cast member from M*A*S*H*. I loved him on that TNG episode as well. Heck I even liked him in The Dead Zone series and the Doc Hollywood movie.

[Gray Lensman]

I always thought the Frank Burns character was too over-the-top even for the comic nature of the show. Even I'm not cynical enough to believe such a silly and childish character could rise to the rank of major in the army, especially in that era. Or that a woman like Margaret Houlihan would have anything but contempt for him.

M*A*S*H had incredibly good luck with its cast replacements over the years. Bad replacements for Frank Burns, Henry Blake, Trapper or B.J. could have really hurt the show, but they stuck the landing every time.

M*A*S*H was an anomaly in that regard, where pretty much every replacement character managed to be an improvement rather than a downward step.

[Zero Hunter]

M*A*S*H was an anomaly in that regard, where pretty much every replacement character managed to be an improvement rather than a downward step.

I agree. I actually like the latter season of M*A*S*H better with characters like BJ, Charles, and Col Potter than I do those early seasons.

[Photon Torme]

Such a shame to lose another cast member from M*A*S*H*. I loved him on that TNG episode as well. Heck I even liked him in The Dead Zone series and the Doc Hollywood movie.

He was good as Reverend Purdy in The Dead Zone also. I think he played a funny homeless type character on 2 guys. a girl and a Pizza place and There was a Frasier episode in which He plays Frasier's mom old lab assistant or colleague of some kind who Martin suspects might be Frasier's biological father

[Jackalope89]

I agree. I actually like the latter season of M*A*S*H better with characters like BJ, Charles, and Col Potter than I do those early seasons.

Same here.
Blake you wonder how in the world he was ever put in charge of a MASH, considering Radar basically ran the whole thing. Potter stepped in, and actually put his foot down when he felt it necessary, and didn't take lip from the majors.

Burns, oddly enough, when army veterans have been interviewed, they said that they actually had people like Burns in their units and what not. But replacing a bumbling, wannabe oaf with a highly intelligent, skilled, and pompous surgeon? Yeah. Winchester was a great addition.

Trapper, he had his moments, but barring being married and having kids, he and Hawkeye were practically the same character. With BJ, you had a different character that could be played off of in much more diverse ways.

[Jackalope89]

one of my favorite eps with charles is when he helps hawkeye deal with his dad going in for a procedure and almost going insane with worry. charles wasn't close with him and had nothing to gain from helping him but he and hawkeye spend most of the ep talking to each other and their respective relationships with their fathers. and we see another side of charles as he envies hawkeye's closeness with his dad.

so many good eps that made charles a very good character in a cast of good characters.

The one that first showed his humanity, was the episode with the soldier that had the bad stutter. Not before, had we seen Winchester so actively insert himself with a patient. And you wonder why, until he plays the recording of his beloved sister's voice. With a stutter.

[Gray Lensman]

The one that first showed his humanity, was the episode with the soldier that had the bad stutter. Not before, had we seen Winchester so actively insert himself with a patient. And you wonder why, until he plays the recording of his beloved sister's voice. With a stutter.

I remember the one where he refused to take part in the charity drive for the orphanage, but secretly shows up at the door in the middle of the night with donations. And both his indignant outrage and subsequent understanding after the chocolate he gave them turned up on the black market.

[Zero Hunter]

Same here.
Blake you wonder how in the world he was ever put in charge of a MASH, considering Radar basically ran the whole thing. Potter stepped in, and actually put his foot down when he felt it necessary, and didn't take lip from the majors.

Burns, oddly enough, when army veterans have been interviewed, they said that they actually had people like Burns in their units and what not. But replacing a bumbling, wannabe oaf with a highly intelligent, skilled, and pompous surgeon? Yeah. Winchester was a great addition.

Trapper, he had his moments, but barring being married and having kids, he and Hawkeye were practically the same character. With BJ, you had a different character that could be played off of in much more diverse ways.

What really comes off as bad looking back at it now is that Burns, Trapper, and Henry were all supposed to be these married guys, and yet all they did was cheat on their poor wives constantly. Frank is the only one they really made a big deal about it, but really Trapper and Henry were bigger dirtballs than Frank. Frank cheated with one woman while the other two were always chasing after whichever nurse was around. Considering Trapper had not only a wife but 2 kids at home and he still was screwing around nonstop he is probably the worst of the bunch.

It is funny that with Potter and BJ they were both shown to be great husbands to their wives back home. It was like the writers kinda went "yeah maybe having the last guys cheat on their wives all the time was not the best idea" and coarse corrected.

[Jackalope89]

What really comes off as bad looking back at it now is that Burns, Trapper, and Henry were all supposed to be these married guys, and yet all they did was cheat on their poor wives constantly. Frank is the only one they really made a big deal about it, but really Trapper and Henry were bigger dirtballs than Frank. Frank cheated with one woman while the other two were always chasing after whichever nurse was around. Considering Trapper had not only a wife but 2 kids at home and he still was screwing around nonstop he is probably the worst of the bunch.

It is funny that with Potter and BJ they were both shown to be great husbands to their wives back home. It was like the writers kinda went "yeah maybe having the last guys cheat on their wives all the time was not the best idea" and coarse corrected.

Well, the show was originally based on the film and book by the same name. Where infidelity was rampant.

But I agree with you. And even the two times BJ was tempted/cheated, we see him regret it immensely and beat himself up over it. Potter never came that close.

[Gray Lensman]

What really comes off as bad looking back at it now is that Burns, Trapper, and Henry were all supposed to be these married guys, and yet all they did was cheat on their poor wives constantly. Frank is the only one they really made a big deal about it, but really Trapper and Henry were bigger dirtballs than Frank. Frank cheated with one woman while the other two were always chasing after whichever nurse was around. Considering Trapper had not only a wife but 2 kids at home and he still was screwing around nonstop he is probably the worst of the bunch.

It is funny that with Potter and BJ they were both shown to be great husbands to their wives back home. It was like the writers kinda went "yeah maybe having the last guys cheat on their wives all the time was not the best idea" and coarse corrected.

Which brings to mind the episode where Potter discovered his son-in-law cheated - and the story he told after his anger subsided.

spoilers:

Potter actually did cheat once in his younger days - and though he never told her, he was certain she always knew.

end of spoilers

[Deathstroke]

Another great Winchester episode was when he operated on a guy that left him with a damaged hand, but the patient was a concert pianist.

[Powerboy]

I always thought the Frank Burns character was too over-the-top even for the comic nature of the show. Even I'm not cynical enough to believe such a silly and childish character could rise to the rank of major in the army, especially in that era. Or that a woman like Margaret Houlihan would have anything but contempt for him.

M*A*S*H had incredibly good luck with its cast replacements over the years. Bad replacements for Frank Burns, Henry Blake, Trapper or B.J. could have really hurt the show, but they stuck the landing every time.

Yes it was possibly unique. Most shows, cast members leaving and being replaced would finish them but M*A*S*H not only did not suffer from the cast changes but actually got better with each cast change. I think they distanced themselves more from the original books and the movie with each cast change. The books were basically equivalent to the Three Stooges and I hated the movie. It was so sadistic I felt more sympathy for the villains than for Hawkeye and Trapper. The show became the ultimate version of the concept and, as I said, I think the cast changes that moved it away from the movie and toward the main heroes becoming more and more humane was a large part of that.

Sad to see that David Ogden Stiers is gone and another part of my youth and of one of the greatest shows ever done has passed.